Automatic phonograph



Oct. 4, 1932. R. B. BRYANT AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Feb. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0515. Bryant BY P I:

ATTORNEY R. B. BRYANT AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Oct. 4, 1932.

Filed Feb. 2. 1929 4. 4 Sheet-Sheet 2 INVENTOR B oyflBrg mzf ATTORNEY ww m NW 6 a @n Oct. 4, 1932 R. ,a. BRYANT.

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH 4 'SheetS-Sheei 5 Filed Feb. 2, 1929 INVENTOR fay BBrydm ATTORNEY I @ct. 4;"1-932. R. B. BRYANT AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed Feb. 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR floyB. B yazzt ATTORNEY 39 table.

Still a further feature of the invention re- Patented Oct. 4, 1932 BOY n. BRYANT, or DALLAS, TEXAS nnromrrc rnonoenarn Application filed February 2, 1929. Serial No. 336,975.

This invention appertains to improvements in phonographs generally, and more particular y to an automatic type of the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a phonograph of the class set forth, which is constituted in a comparatively simple, but highly eflicient mechanism for presenting a number of sound records singly and successively to the reproducing mechanism of such instruments throughout a continuous period of operation of the same, and restoring the several records to the initial order of their arrangement after the individual play there- 1 resides in a mechanism adapted to overturn the horizontally dis osed records from the top of a vertical stac onto the turntable, in addition to the feature of overturning the record from a reservoir onto the turntable and returning. it from the turntable to the reservoir. It is characteristic of this invention that the record is overturned directly from the stack onto the turntable in playing position.

A further feature of the invention resides in the means for selecting the top record from the stack and moving it to engagement with the carriage and overturningit to the turn- ,sides in the mechanism for controlling the tone arm and the record transfer mechanism,

whereby a single element in the nature of a cam disk causes the reproducer to disengage the record and swing to one side, changes the record andcauses the reproducer to again be brought into engagement with the record at its initial record engaging position. This feature is characterized further by the control of the; tone arm through the medium of the .camdisk as distinguished from the con trol thereofloy the record and record changing mechanism.

Another object. of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character mentioned wherein, after one musical or other score on the reversed faces of each of a number of double-faced sound records has been placed as aforesaid, the several records will be successively returned to initial position of readiness to pla and in the proper order of the sequence 0 their normal arrangement, but each record will be turned'to present the hitherto unemployed scores on the opposite faces thereof to the. reproducing mechanism,

when the records are again transferred to the latter.

With the foregoing and other equally important obJects and advantages in view, the

invention resides in the certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended The principal feature of the invention" claims, and illustrated drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a practical embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section, I

Figure 3 is a, view similar to that of Figure 1, but with the recordturntable and side plate removed to show the record control and transfer mechanisms in their normal positions of rest,

, Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the control disk and the sound record turntable portions of the mechanism, and showing the relation of the same with respect to the tone arm and the reproducer carried thereby, the latter parts being shown in side elevation,

Figure 6-is a perspective view, of the control disk and a fragment of an arm cooperain the accompanying tive therewith for controlling the removal 4 and replacement ofthe reproducer from and onto a sound record, the operation of the record transferand turning mechanism, and the starting and stopping mechanism of the turntable, I v

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentaryvertical longitudinal section through the mech- Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3,

Figure 9 is a perspective detail of the main control device per se of the several mechamsms, r

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the pusher device for releasing a record from the pickup and transfer device, and moving the record after release to centered position with respect to the turntable, and

Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views of the record pick-up member and the slide table respectively.

Referring .to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughouttheseveral views thereof, the embodiment, as shown therein by wa of example, is constituted in a flat base 11, w ichhas a pair of uprights 12 and 13 rising from the centers of the opposite end edges thereof. Continuous with the base 11, at the .end

thereof from which the upright 12 rises, is an extended frame portion 14, which is formed of opposite disposed side walls 15 and a substantially semi-circular end wall 16, which connects the side walls 15 at their outer ends.

Mounted on the flat base 11 is a prime mover 17, which is operably connected, as by means of a wrappin connector 18, to a peripherally grooved pulley 19, keyed sk or on an intermediate portion 0 avertically disposed shaft or spindle 20. This shaft or spindle 20 is iournalled at its lower end in a portion 21, a so mounted on the upper side of the flat base 11, and at an intermediate point in a cross bar 22 extending horizontally "between the upper end portions of the up- "rights 12 and 13.

Keyed onthe shaft or spindle 20 for vertical'slidable movements thereon above the pulley 19 is a movable clutch face 24, at its upper side, arranged for cooperative engagement with thecom lemental clutch face 25 at the lower side 0 the pinion 26, the latter being mounted for free rotation about the shaft or spindle-2'0 in any suitable manner,

or by means of a pin or screw 27 beingpassed radially inward of the hub portion of the same, and engaged, at its inner end in an annular groove 28 formed in the shaft or spin dle 20.

This pinion 26 is disposed on the shaft or spindle 20 immediately below the cross bar 22, and has its toothed peripher dis osed in mesh with a gear 29, whichiis eye on the lower end of a stub shaft 30, journalled vertically of a bracket arm 31' projecting from one side of the cross bar 22. Similarly keyed on the u per end of the stub shaft 30, at the upper si e of the bracket arm 31, is a pinion 32 arranged in mesh with a rin gear 33 secured on the lower face of a cam 34, which is journalled for free rotation on the shaft or spindle 20, immediately above the cross bar 22. Surrounding. the shaft or .spindle 20, immediately above the upper side of the cam disk 34, is a bearing collar 35, which supports the lower end of the hub portion 36 of ments about the tube end 38, and receives within the same the lower end of the down-' wardly curved rear end portion of a tone arm 40, towhich it is connectedby means of opposite arranged pivots 41. This arrange- "ment of the collar 39 and the tone arm 40 not only allows for the turning movement of the same as aforesaid, but also permits for limit- 'ed vertical tiltingmovements of the tone arm 40 relatively to the collar 39 and the stationary tube end 38, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully explained. The forward end of the tone arm 40 is arranged to receive thereon the usual form of sound reproducer, and which is provided with the usual pick-up point or stylus 43, to be engaged in the sound groove of a record disk placed in position on the turntable 37.

. Projecting forwardly from the downwardly extending portion of the tone arm 40, and rigidly secured thereto is an arm 44, which carries a downwardly extending pin 45 at its foremost end, which engages in a radial groove 46 formed in the upper face of the cam disk 34, when the stylus 43 of the reproducer 42 is tracing the sound groove of a record in position on the turntable 37. This groove 46 is slightly arcuate in form, and is arranged at the leadin end of a depression 47, which extends chor allyof the upper face of the disk 34, and has its leading edge declined, as at 47'. The opposite side walls of the depression 47 converge toward one another toward the rearwardly directed end of circular groove to its point of connectionwith the radial groove 46, so that the repro-.

ducer 42 is lowered to lightly bring the stylus'43 into'engagement with the sound grooveof a record to be played,

The radial slot 46 is of a greater depth than that of the groove 48, and is of an even depth throughout its length, so that the pin sion 47, it acts to raise the arm 44, so that the tone arm 40 is tilted on the pivots 41, and the reproducer 42 is lifted to clear the stylus I 43 from any poss'ble-further engagement with the record. When supported on the bottom surface of the depression 47, the pin 45 is guided by the inner curved wall 47 outwardly toward the periphery of the c'amdisk 34, where it enters the chordal groove 48 and passes from the same to the circular groove 48'. Mounted on the upper side of the forward end of the arm 44 is a finger 49, which projectsbeyond the arm end and strikes the lower end portion of a detent 50, the latter being somewhat in the form of a bell crank lever, and pivoted, as at 51, in a slot 52 formed in the downwardlyinclined-end portion of a'latch member 53. When struck by the finger 49, the upper end portion of the detent 50, isprojected upwardly of the slot-. way 52, and into the path of movement of one of several lugs 54 carried at the lower side ofthe turntable 37.

' Now, when the-detent is struck by oneof the lugs '54, the latch member 53 is swung on a pivot 53, rising from the outer end portion of a bracket arm-55, projecting horizontally inward of an upright portion or support 56 at the outer end of the cross bar 22.

This latch member 53 has an elongated outer end portion, which closely overlies the bracket arm 56(i and is normally engaged beneath 40 the-shoul ered portion 57 formed at the upper end of a member or bar 58. This member or bar 58 is movable vertically in an opening .formed in the cross bar 22, and has its lower end slotted, as at 59, for engagement over the outer reduced end portion 60 of an inwardly.

extending member or lever 60. This member or lever 60is pivoted, as at 61, at an interme-- diate point on the same to the lower bifur.

cated end-of an arm 62 depending from the lower side of the cross bar 22, and at its in- Egr end directly to the movable clutch memr 23. a

, Now, as the latch member 53 swings under the action of the detent 50, it moves from its enga ment with the shoulder 57, and the' mem er or rod 58 moves downwardly and carries the outer end of the actuating rod 60 with it, so that the latter is rocked on the pivot 61 and lifts the movable clutch member 23, on

the shaft or spindle 20 into engagement with the stationaryclutch member 25, whereby the pinion 26 is connected to theshaft 20 for rotation therewith. The downward move ment-of the vertical member or rod 58 is facilitated by'a coiled spring 64, which. is

secured at its lower end to the cross bar 22,

and at its upperend to a lifting lever 65 the latter being pivoted, as at 65', at one end A to the vertical member or rod '58, and at its other end to a pivot 63 projecting inwardly from the vertical bracket arm 56 of the cross bar 22. To effect the rocking of the actuatspring 58" has its lowerend attached direct. ly to the free end portion of the outer re-- duced end of the actuatin lever 60, so that the same exerts an upward pull on the latter as-the member or-bar 58 is moved upwardly by the actuation of the lifting lever 65," as will be hereinafter more fully explained. Normally, the shaft or spindle 20 and the turntable 37 only are directly driven from 'the prime mover 17, but with the clutch members 23 and 25 engaged, the cam disk 34 is also rotatable with the shaft 20 through the intermeshing of the gears 29, 32 and 33 with each other, and the gear 29 with the pinion 26.

A selected number of double faced disk records a are stacked within'the upperside of the semi-circular end portion 16 of the frame 14, and are supported on a shouldered portion 16 formed on the inner sidesof the side and end walls 15- and 16 of the frame, substantially as is -shown in Figure 7 J ournalled transversely of and in the upper bifurcated'end of the upright 12 is a shaft 66.

arms 67. These arms 67 are formed toprof vide angularlyoflset portions 67' at points below t e shaft 66, which are connected at their outer ends to companion lugs 68 de- .pendin in transversely spaced relation from the an or side of the sloping portion 69, of a record slide table 70. This slide table 1s formed to provide a; normally disposed horizontal portion 71, to' one side'of the slo ing 66 a portion 69, and which overlies the sha substantially in the plane ofthe line of connection between the portions 69 and 71. The. sloping portion. 69 extends within the in-' eterior of the frame 14, and underlies the stack of records a positioned on the shoulder 16' extending about the inner sides. of the side and end walls-1 5 and 16, while the portion 71 Rrojects beyond the opposite side of the sha 66 and overliesthe adJacent portion of the cam diskl34. This table portion 7 -1 has its end-edge cut away to substantially semi circular form td closel' embrace the op.- 1

posed portion "of the perip ery, of the turntable3.

Pivotally connecting the lowerends of the depending arms 67, as at 72, are a pair of horizontally arranged arms 73, which converge toward and connect each other at their free ends. Projecting upwardly from the connected ends of the arms 73 is a stud or pin 74, on which a roller 7 5 is journalled. This roller 75 is normally held in rolling contact with the periphery of the cam disk 34 by the action offia coiled spring 76, which has one end attached to a lug or ear 77 projecting from one side of the standard 12, and its other end to a similar lug or ear 78 depending from the lower side of the sliding portion 69 of the slide table 70. With the roller 75 bearing against the peripheral edge of the-cam disk 34, the slide table 70 is held in its normal or inoperative position, with the spring 7 6 tensioned'to assist in the tilting of the same when required. It is to be here noted thatthe disk records a are of a slightly greater diameter than the turntable 37, so that the peripheral edge portion of a record in position on the latter will overlie the adjacent edge portion of the horizontal portion 71 of the slide table 70.

Now, assuming that a record on the turntable 37 has been traced by-the stylus 43 of the reproducer 42, and the tone arm has been tilted at its pivots 47 to raise the latter from the record, and caused the release of the latch mechanismof the movable clutch member 23. The cam. disk 34 will be connected to the shaft or spindle 20, through the gearing 26, 29, 32 and 33 as soon as the clutch face 25 is engaged by the'clutch' face 24 of the movable clutch member 23. Asthe cam disk 34 now rotates, a groove 79, of a predetermined length, formed in the peripheral edge of the disk in the path of the roller 74 will be engaged by the latter under the dontracting action of the coiled spring 76. As the roller 7 5'moves into the groove 79, the depending arms '67 will be rocked on the shaft 66 to tilt the record slide table 70, when. the sloping portion 69 of thelatter will descend within the hollow interior of the frame 14, and the horizontal portion 71 will rise to a position to clear the upper side .of the turntable 37 and the adjacent parts of the mechanism. 'As the horizontal portion 3 71 rises, it will lift the record, just played, from off the turntable and out of engagement with the upper end of the shaft or spindle 20. Now, as soon'as the center opening in thp record clears the end of the shaft or spindle 20, the record will slide from the table portion 71, and onto the sloping portion 69 to a ition thereon directly beneath the bottom o the stack of records a. r

with elongated slots 83' adjacent their opposite ends through which the supporting pins 83" extend for slidably supporting. said bars thereon. Said pins 83"v are secured to. the under-side of the slide table by the brackets 84. Thus, the cam disk 34 through the roller 81 and cross bar 82 will move the pusher bars against the tension of a; pair of retractile springs 84, and cause the ends thereof to be projected through slots 85 formed in the sloping portion 69 of the slide table 7 0, and engage the edge of the record to force the same from the table portion 69 and onto the supporting shoulder 16' of the frame 14. Thus, the played record will be returned to the bottom of the record stack with the score thereon just played uppermost.

A record from the top of the stack is now to be removed and placed in position on the turntable 37 with the reverse face thereof uppermost, and this is to be accomplished by means of a pick-up device, which is constituted in a pair of parallel arms 86 mounted at one end on the-transverse shaft 66 in equidistantly spaced relation to the opposite sides 'of the upper bifurcated ends 'of the upright ,12, and a curved member 87 extending between and pivotally connecting the free ends of these arms. The ends of the arms 86, engaged on the shaft 66, are secured to the latter for rotation therewith, through the medium of radial pins 88 carried by the shaft and engaged in slots 89 formed inthe arm ends. These slots 89 are, however, slightly elongated, in a direction circumferentially of the arm ends, so that a limited relative movement of the arms 86, with respect to the shaft 66,

will be permitted This relative movement of the arms 86 is restrained to an extent by means of a pair of coiled springs 90, which encircle the shaft 66 at the inner sides of the connected portions of the arms 86. Oneend of each of these springs ,90 is secured to the arms 86, while the other ends thereof are attached to the shaft 66. Similarly, the curved member 87 is tensioned on its pivot supports 90 with the arms 86, by means of a coiled spring 91. This spring 91 is connected at one end to an adjacent end of the member 87, and at its other end to alug 92, projecting inwardly of one of the arms 86, substantiallv as is shown in Figure 3. The inwardly curved edge' of the curved member 87 of the pick-up device is channeled, as at 87 and in a manner to snuglyengage over the peripheral edge of a record disk, when brought into position for that purpose.

The pick up device, as thus constructed and arranged, is to be operated, when a turning movement is imparted to the shaft 66, and for the purpose, the latter is providedwith a pinion 93, which is secured on the portion of the shaft extending between the bifurcated portions of the upright 12,

and this pinion is arranged in mesh with the teeth of a rack bar 94. This rack bar 94 is operable between the bifurcated ends of the upright 12, and is elongated to one side of the shaft 66 in a manner to overlie turntable 37.

the cam disk 34, and its free end provided with a slotted opening 95 for the engagement of the same over the bearing collar on the shaft or spindle 20 immediately above the cam disk 34. The rack bar 94 is also provided with another slotted opening 96, which is formed at an intermediate point thereon to give clearance to the roller 81,-

when it is acted upon by the cam abutment 80 at the peripheral edge of the cam disk 34.-

Depending from the free end of. the rack bar 94 and journalled therein is a roller 97, which is engaged in a circular groove 98 formed in the upper face of the cam disk 34.

This groove '98 is eccentrically disposed with reference to the axial center of the cam disk 34, and at its point of nearest approach to the axial center, it is formed with a slight oflset, as at 98', so that when the roller 97 is positioned in thisoffset portion of the groove 98, the parts of the mechanism are disposed in their normal positions of rest, and for the play of a record in position on the through the medium of the roller 97 in the groove 98 in a direction to cause the rotation of the transverse shaft 66 in an anti-clockwise direction, when the arms 86 will be swung over 'toward the stack of records a p and the pick-up member 87, carried thereby,

positioned directly at the edge of the uppermost of the records. As the member 87 reaches the upper record, the limited relative movement permitted the arms 86 by reason of its pin and slot connections 88 and 89 with the shaft 66 and the pivoted mounting of the member 87 to the free ends of the arms 86, permits the member 87 to automatically adjust itself with respect. to the peripheral edge of the record, and in a manner that the latter will be partially en gaged in the channel 87'. When the pick up member 87 reaches this point of engage ment with the records at the top of the stack a, the end of the rack'bar 94, on which the roller 97 is carried, will have been moved to its extreme right-hand .position by the travel of the roller 97 in the groove 98.

At this point in the operation of the mechanism, a pair of cams 99, carried on the opposite outer end portions of the transverse shaft 66 will act on rollers 100 journallediat the inne'rsides of the opposite leg portions of a substantially U-shaped member or yoke 101, which extends about the outer side of the frame portion 14. This action of the cams 99 on the rollers 100 will cause the yoke 101 to move in a right-hand direction, and with which a pair of pusher fingers 102, extending inwardly of suitable openings, formed in the semi-circular wall 16 of the frame 14, and against the opposed peripheral edge portion of the upper records a to force the opposite peripheral edge portion of the latter intothe channel 87 of the pickup member 87. These fingers 102 are preferably formed at the opposite ends of a connection portion 103, which is secured to the inner side of the center of the curved connected end portion of the yoke 101, substantially as is shown in Figure 3. The opposite ends of the transverse shafts 66 are preferably engaged in horizontally elongated slots 104 formed in the opposite side portions of the yoke 101, so as to support and guide these portions of the latter, in part, during the operative movement thereof.

During the last half revolution of the cam disk 34, the rack bar 94 will be moved in the opposite direction, and thereby cause the shaft 66 to rotate in azclockwise direction, when the top record from the stack a will be lifted by the pick-up device in its move-, ment with the shaft 66 back to normal position, and thereafter deposited on the turntable 37, in which position the record will be temporarily inclined on the upper end of the shaft or spindle 20. As -soon .,as the record comes to rest in this position, a pair of push members or fingers 105, arran ed in transversely spaced relation, and a jacent to the opposite ends of the pick-up member 87, will be operated in a manner to push against the near peripheral edge portion' of the record, and move the same to centered position on the turntable 37, when the center opening in the record will engage over the projected end of the shaft or spindle 20. These pusher fingers 105 are supported in vertical position on the opposite ends of a curved member or bar 106, extending transversely of the base 11, and in a plane immediately below the ed e of the cam disk 34, and as shown in igure 10, anangular extension 107 is formed at the outwardly curved edge of the member 106, and rests on the upper side of the cross bar 22. .Thisangular extension 107 carries a. depending pin 108 at its free end for engagement downwardly of a guide slot 109 formed in the latter. A clamp collar110 is engaged v on the lower free end of the pin 108 elowthe cross bar 22, and-retains the device in 1 position. Rising from the upper side of the member 106, at a point ad acent the point of connection of the angled portion 107 there= with, is a stud or pin 111, on which a roller 112 is journalled. This roller 112 is disposed the cross bar 22.

in rolling contact with the peripheral edge of the cam disk 34, and is maintained in such contact by the tensioning effort of a coiled spring 113, which is attached at one end to the lower depending portion of the stud or pin. 111, and at its other end to a stud 114 depending from the lower side of The arms 105 are of a height sufficient for them to project upwardly through slots 115, formed in the record slide table 70, during their operative movements. A depression 112 is also formed in the peripheral edge of the cam disk 34, and when the same reaches the roller 112, the latter enters the same and causes the aforegoing operation of the pusher arms 105.

Now, as the cam disk 34 nearly completes its operative revolution about the shaft or spindle 20, a pin 116, projecting from its peripheral edge passes beneath the lifting lever 65, and causes the same to raise the vertical member or bar 58, when the clutch lever will be rocked on its pivot 61, and thereby disconnects the movable clutch member 23 from-the clutch member 25, where upon the cam disk 34 will come to rest. In the final stopping movement of the camdisk 34, a locking bolt 117, slidably mounted for vertical movement in the cross bar 22, will.-

be moved into engagement with a depression 118 in the lower face of the cam disk 34 to retain the same against accidental rotative movement, and until the end of play of the record now in position on the turntable 37. This locking bolt 117 has its lower end pivotall connected to one end of a link 119, whic in turn, has its other end pivotally connected to the clutch lever 60 at one side of the pivot 61 of the latter,'when the verti cal member or bar 58 reaches its upper limit of movement, the latch member 53 is moved into engagement with the shoulder 57 by the action of a leaf spring 120. This spring 120 has one end seeured'to the pivot 53' of the latch member 53, and has its other end bearing against the pin 121 rising from the latter, substantially as is shown in Figure 9,

and the same is placed under proper tension for the purpose whenever the latch member 53 is moved to its position of release from the vertical member or bar 58. Also, as the cam disk 34 finally approaches its stop position, the pin or roller 45, on the tone arm tilting bar 44, will move inwardly of the angled portion 48, of the circular groove 48 in the upper side of the disk 34, and come to re in the outer end of the radial groove 46, w en the tone arm 40 will be lowered to place the' stylus 43, carried by the reproducer 42,;in engagement with the outer part of the sound groovein the now exposed upper face of the record.

The operation of the mechanism,-as thus constructed and arranged, is to be automati- 7 cally controlled from an escapement device, r

which consists of a disk or wheel 122 having its peripheral edge formed to provide a series of teeth of which there is one for each of the number of records placed in the frame 14. This wheel or disk122 is mounted on a shaft 123, which is journalled in a bi'acket 124 sup-' ported at one side of the upright 12. As es-- capement lever 125 is pivoted to the upper side of the bracket 124 for cooperation with the toothed periphery of the wheel or disk 122, the teeth of which are shouldered in an anti-clockwise direction, so that the opposite ends of the escapement lever will alternately engage the shouldered sides of the teeth, when actuated from an abutment 110' carried on the collar 110 at the lower end of the pin 108 depending from the supporting structure 106 of the pusher arms 105 employed for centering a record on the turntable 37. A coiled spring 126 is arranged to tension the escapement lever 125 in a manner that its left-hand end will be normally engaged with the shoul-.

der of a tooth adjacent thereto, when the abutment 110' is in its inoperative position.

Projecting from one side of the wheel or disk 122 is a pin 127, which is cooperative with a movable contact arm 128 to cause the same to make and break contact with a stationary contact 129. The contact arm ,128 is preferably made of spring metal, and is secured at one end in a support 130 attached to one side of the bracket 124, while the stationary contact 129 is preferably in the form of an adextending to and connecting one end of a spring member 133, which, in turn, has its other end attached to a lug 134 projecting from the side of the bracket 124. y

In the-normal position of this control device, the pin 127 will be engaged with the movable contact member 128 to hold the same in open circuited position. Now, if it is desired to start up the reproducing mechanism,

the operator W'lll impart a turning movement to the shaft 123-to move the dlsk 122 relative to the escapement lev'er or pawl 125 and until a number of the teeth corresponding to the number of records that it is desired to have successively played, have passed beyond the left-hand end of the lever or pawl, when the shouldered portion of the last of these teeth will be engaged by that end of the latter. Immediately upon the turning of the shaft 123 and the disk or' wheel 122, the pin-127, on the latter, will be moved away from engagement with the movable contact 128,

which will thereupon close the motor circuit at the stationary contact 129, and thereby start the motor 17 to drive the shaft or spindle 20, together with the turntable 37 and the record in position thereon.

Now, as each of the predetermined number of records a are played and a new record is,

in turn centered on the turntable 37 by the pusher arins 105, the operative movements of the latter will cause the abutment 110 to strike the upper end of the escapement lever or pawl 125 and cause the latter to rock on its pivot against the tension of the spring 126 and release the teeth of the disk or wheel 122 in a step by step movement, and until the pin 127 again strikes the spring contact 128 to open the circuit on the motor 17 at the fixed contact 129. Whenever the disk or wheel 122 is turned to cause the closing of the motor circuit, and to thereby start the play of the apparatus, the spring 132 will be placed under tension, so as to impart to the disk or wheel 122 the necessary retrograde movement when the teeth thereof are successively released by the escapement lever or pawl 125.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is: I I

1. In an automatic phonograph including asupply of double faced records arranged in stacked formation at one side of the turntable and reproducer mechanism of the P110: nograph, means for transferring the records singly and successively from the top of the stack to the said turntable and operating to reverse the faces of the same from the position in stacked formation during such transfor centering the records on said turntable, and means for returning the records from the turntable at the conclusion of its play to the bottom of the record stack.

3. In an automatic phonograph, means for transferring the uppermost of a series of stacked double faced records to the turntable of a phonograph, said means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each to the said turntable, means for centering the records on said turntable, and means for lifting a played record from off the said turn- 1 table at the conclusion of its play and returning the same to the bottom of the record stack.

4. In an automatic phonograph, means for transferring the uppermost of a series of stacked double faced records to the turntable of a phonograph, said means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer ofeach to the said turntable, means for centering the records on said turntable, means for lifting a played record from ed the said turntable and returning the same to a position adjacent the bottom of the stack, and means for moving the record to proper position directly beneath the bottom of the record stack.

5. In an automatic phonograph, means for transferring the uppermost of a series of stacked double faced records to the turntable of a phonograph, said means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each transferring the uppermost of a series of stacked double faced records to the turntable of'a phonograph, said means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each to the said turntable, means for centering the records on said turntable, tiltable means for lifting a played record from off the said turntable and then sliding the same to a position adjacent the bottom of the record stack, and means for moving the record from said tilting means to proper position directly beneath the bottom of the record stack.

7. In an automatic phonograph, means for transferring. double faced records from a stack of records. at one side of the turntable of a phonograph, means for moving the uppermost of the stacked records into engagement with said transfer means, said transfer means being adapted to reverse the faces of.

the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each of the same from. the top of the stack, means for disengaging a record from the transferme'ans and centering the same onthe said turntable, tiltable means for lifting a played record from off the said turntable and sliding the same to a position adjacent the bottom of the record stack, and means for moving the'record from said tiltable means to proper position directly beneath the bottom of the stack.

. 8. In' an automaticlphonograph, means for transferring double faced. records from a stack of the records at one side of the turntable of a phonograph, means for moving the uppermost of the stacked records into engagement with said transfer means, said transfer means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each of the same from the top of the stack, means for disengaging a record from the transfer means and centering the same on the 'said turntable, tiltable means for liftinga played record from off the said turntable and sliding the same to a position adj acent the bottom of the record stack, means for moving the record from said tilting means to proper position directly beneath the bottom of the stack, normally inoperative means for regulating the sequence of operation of the several means aforesaid, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said regulating means at the end of the play of each record.

9. In an automatic phonograph, means for transferring double faced records from a stack of the records at one side of the turntable of a phonograph, means for moving the uppermost of the stacked records into engagement with said transfer means, said transfer means being adapted to reverse the faces of the records from their stacked position during the transfer of each of the same from the top of the stack, means for disengaging a record from the transfer means and centering the same on the said turntable, tiltable means for lifting a played record from off the said turntable and sliding the same to a position adjacent the bottom of the record stack, means-for moving the record from said tilting means to proper position directly beneath the bottom of the stack, normally inoperative means for regulating the sequence of operation of the several means aforesaid, means for automatically controlling the operation of saidreg'ulating means at the end of the play of each record, said control means being also adapted to lower and raise the reproducer mechanism of the phonograph to and from engagement with the sound groove of a record at the beginning and the ending of the play of the same, and means "cooperative with the said reproducer mechanism to effect the release of said regulating means. 1 I

10. In combination, means for transportinga phonograph record from a group of superposed records to a sound reproducing position, means for reproducing sound from said record While in said sound reproducing position, and means for transporting the record after reproduction thereof back to said group ofrecords, said first mentioned means being actuateg to invert the record while being trans porte v ll A-n automatic phonograph including a stack of phonograph records, means for sucfrom one end of the stack to sound reproducing position in inverted relation to that occu pied thereby in the stack, means for successively reproducing sound from said transported records, and means for successively transporting said records after reproduction back to said stack.

12. In a machine of the character described, a turntable, a reservoir adjacent thereto containing a plurality of records, an oscillating carrier operable between the reservoir and turntable, means. for delivering a record from the reservoir onto the carrier for placement thereby on the turntable in reversed position to that maintained in the reservoir, and means automatically operable incident to completion of playing said record for returning it directly to the reservoir with the reproduced face uppermost.

13. In an automatic phonographincluding a turntable, a reservoir for containing a plurality of disk records in a substantially horizontal position, a record carrier pivotally mounted between the turntable and the reservoir normally lying substantially in the plane of the turntable, means for swinging said carrier from its normal position to a position to receive and transfer a record from the reservoir and overturn it as it is transferred from said reservoir onto the turntable in playing position, and means for selectively engaging one of said records in the reservoir and moving it into engagement with said carrier.

14. An automaticphonograph including a turntable, of a reservoir for containing a stack of disk; records in substantially horizontal position, a carrier conforming to and adapted to receive the edge of a record for conveying the same from said reservoirto said turntable, and means for selecting'a single record from the top of the stack and moving it transversely of its axis with respect to the remaining records into said carrier. 7

15. An automatic phonograph including a turntable, a supply of substantially horizontally positioned record disks adjacent thereto, a carrier for transferring a record therefrom to said turntable, means for positioning said carrier adjacent the peripheral edge of one of said records, and means for sliding said-record transversely of its axis into pe-' ripheral engagement with said carrier. I 16. In an automatic phonograph including a supply of double-faced records arranged in stacked formation at one side of the turntable and reproducer mechanism of the phonograph,'means for' transferring the records singly and successively from the stack to said turntableand operating to reverse thefaces of the same from their position in stacked formation during such transfer, and means for returning the records to said stack from the turntable after the playing thereof.

cessively transporting the respective records-H.v 17. An automatic phonograph including a turntable, a reservoir adaptedto hold a plurality of disk records, means for'shifting a. played record from the turntable to the reservoir, and means for inverting a record from its-position in the reservoir and placing it in such inverted position upon the turntable. A

BOY B. BRYANT. 

